Orlen told students that “to require other team members to endure some sort of physical or emotional 'right of passage' is, from this moment on, a thing of the past.”

Some teams and clubs—notably the girls’ varsity soccer team—say they do have a hazing ritual. But it often involves harmless requirements, such as dressing up in funny outfits for a day. One freshman player tells WW it's “fun and enjoyable.”

Police are investigating reports that two JV basketball players were assaulted by four of their teammates. One was beaten up, according to what sources tell WW. Another says that the players assaulting him held him down while another tried to insert his finger in the victim's anus—a practice known as "G-ing."

Students have told WW that they reacted to news of the alleged assaults in a variety of ways, from disgust to nonchalance. Most say they feel safe at Grant.

Here’s the letter from Orlen:

Grant Students,

I always like to share with others I
meet how lucky I am to be the Principal at Grant High School. I am proud
of many of the opportunities you choose to engage in as young people and the
ways you often advocate for items that are important to you in your education
here at school. I especially like to speak about the ways you are proud
to be Grant Generals and that you care about how our school is viewed by the
larger community.

As many of you may know there was a
recent event involving the JV Boys Basketball team. This event has raised a variety of concerns for me about
student conduct and how adults supervise students in all extracurricular
activities. I would like to share with you my expectations moving forward
related to student behavior in both our athletic program, and our club
programs.

Coaches in our school need to
enforce a code of conduct that, first and foremost, entails making sure
students are safe and are making productive and healthy choices. Balancing
academics and athletics can be extremely challenging and as important as it is
for coaches to work with our students to make sure they know how to execute a
particular play on the field, they need to make sure their athletes are being
successful in academic classes as well. Every coach knows a winning team
works as a unit on the field, and players know their teammates are there
to back them up and cheer them on. Similarly, coaches are responsible to make
sure our players are there for each other off the field as well. Coaches
are responsible to ensure that team members are supportive of each other and
that they team members would never do anything to harm (physically or
emotionally) a teammate. All team members must feel and BE safe.

Our school environment needs to be
safe for all who enter our building. Our school community must not let
ourselves avoid responsibility by justifying inappropriate behavior by saying
“kids will be kids.” Inappropriate behavior, such as bullying or sexual
harassment, observed or heard about by any staff member must be reported.
Our coaches need to message to our student athletes that the norms of the
past that allowed some team members to require other team members to
endure some sort of physical or emotional “right of passage” is, from this
moment on, a thing of the past. Our coaches must be present in lockers rooms
whenever team members are there. Our club advisors must be present when
students are working together in either Key Club, Mock Trial, Model United
Nations, etc. Additionally, Grant
faculty play a critical role in setting and reinforcing our behavioral norms,
at all times.

Lastly, I hope that you as my
students can entrust in me that tough decisions and choices are made with your
safety and growth as my main concern. Without each and every one of you,
there would be no Grant High School.